The Chase (22 page)

Once straddling him, Seonaid slid her body back and forth over him, but while that eased
her frustrations at first, it did not wholly satisfy her. She wanted to feel him inside
her again, filling her to capacity and plunging in and out as he had done before.
Shifting, she reached down and found him with her hand, then steered him to where she
wanted him and eased herself down. A small sigh slid from her lips as he filled her, and
she peered at him through half-closed eyes as she wiggled with pleasure.

Blake watched her, a small smile stretching his lips; then he suddenly sat up, caught her
beneath the behind, and lifted and shifted her.

“Oh!” Seonaid gasped, her legs moving around his back of their own accord as their bodies
rubbed together in a more satisfying manner. Then Blake shifted with her and dropped her
on the bed. He came down on top of her, driving into her with the move and surprising a
grunt from her. Seonaid caught her arms around him, her fingers digging first into his
shoulders, then shifting beneath his arms to clutch at his back, and finally dropping to
cup and knead his behind and urge him on as he propelled them both toward the release she
was craving.

Truly, if she had realized what she was missing due to his dallying in collecting her,
Seonaid thought she might have hunted the man down and dragged him back to marry her.

In fact, she decided, she would have a good talking to him later about all the time he'd
wasted. On the other hand, she had already admitted that she was benefitting from the
skills he had learned while neglecting her, and perhaps he would not have been so skilled
had she gone after him. Perhaps everything had its time, and this was theirs. She
determined to simply enjoy it and the fact that she had a husband who could do this for
her. She suspected that this would not be as enjoyable with less skilled men, and that her
father had done her a grand favor in betrothing her to the dreaded Sherwell. She'd keep
that to herself, though. There was no sense giving her father a fat head.

Blake caught her head in hand, turning her to seal his lips on hers, and Seonaid suspected
he had recognized that her thoughts had wandered. He now forced them back to him and what
he was doing as he thrust his tongue into her mouth in time with his thrusting body, and
Seonaid gave up thinking about anything as they both struggled toward and finally found
their explosive release.

A knock at the door made Seonaid's eyes flutter open. Her gaze slid over the empty expanse
of bed beside her, then she pushed herself up on one arm and peered around the equally
empty room. She had apparently dozed off again. Blake had not. Or, if he had, he'd already
awakened and left the room

A second knock made her growl, “Aye?”

The door opened at once and Janna entered, a bright smile on her face. “Good morn, m'lady.”

“Morn,” Seonaid grunted automatically, then opened her mouth to ask what the woman wanted,
only to snap it closed again when several servants traipsed in behind her. Half of them
carried empty buckets, which they used to empty the tub, scooping the cold water out and
dumping it out the window. The rest of the servants carried bucket after bucket of fresh
water.

“I didna order a bath,” she said.

“Lord Blake ordered it, m'lady,” Janna informed her. Then, as the last woman entered
bearing fresh linens, she added, “He ordered the bed remade too.”

Seonaid glanced around. She was naked as the day she'd been born, covered just by the
sheet she was lying on, twisted up and pulled across her torso as if Blake had tried to
leave her decently shielded. The rest of the linens and furs from the bed, as well as the
cushions, were scattered willy-nilly on the floor. Even the base sheet was gone.

Rearranging the sheet twisted around her so that she wore it in the old Roman toga
fashion, Seonaid stumbled off the bed and began tossing the furs and cushions back onto it
as she searched for the bottom bed linen. She knew from when Iliana and Duncan had married
that her father, Rolfe, and the bishop would soon arrive to witness the bed linen and the
blood that should stain it, proving she had been a virgin last night. But the linen was
nowhere to be seen.

“The bottom linen is missing,” she said with concern.

“Aye, m'lady. Lord Blake brought it below with him earlier so yer father and the others
would no disturb ye.”

Seonaid grimaced. The stupid thing would be slung over the banister and hanging down into
the great hall by now, for all to witness her innocence. At least, that was what they had
done with the linen from Iliana and Duncan's wedding night. The idea actually made her
squirm, but she merely grunted and walked to the tub as the last of the water was dumped
in.

She hadn't been terribly interested in the idea of yet another bath on first realizing
they were preparing her one. Preferring not to smell like a barn animal, Seonaid had never
shunned baths as her brother used to before Iliana taught him the benefits of bathing. But
four or more baths in two days seemed excessive. However, the moment she stood up and
started to move, she'd become aware of the sticky wetness between her legs, and the idea
of a bath was suddenly appealing. She saw many, many baths in her future if Blake
continued to be as enthusiastic as he had been last night.

It had been considerate of her husband to think of it. She smiled softly to herself. He
had proven himself very considerate indeed last night. Lady Wildwood had said that some
women enjoyed the bedding part of marriage and some did not. Some women detested it, but
she had found over the years that those who did not like it usually had selfish husbands
who did not trouble to be sure their wives found any pleasure. She had added that from all
she had heard of Blake Sherwell, Seonaid would not have that problem. And she had been
right The man had been most thoughtful. In fact, she was sure that she had found more
pleasure man he last night.And this morning.

“Shall I stay and help ye with yer bath, m'lady?” Janna's question drew her attention to
the fact that the servants were finished filling the tub and making the bed and were now
filing out of the room.

"Nay. I* Seonaid began.

“We'll help.” Aeldra entered the open door, with Helen on her heels.

“They'll help.” Seonaid dropped her sheet and stepped into the hot water. “Thank ye,
Janna.”

“Aye, m'lady.” Janna slipped out, pulling the door closed behind her as Helen and Aeldra
moved to the tub. Both women watched silently as Seonaid began to run the flower-scented
soap over her body.

“Well?” Aeldra said after several moments had passed in silence. Seonaid lifted her head
and glanced at her in question. “Well, what?” Aeldra tsked with irritation. “Well, how was
it?” she expounded. “What was it like?” Seonaid grinned at the question. How was it? Sweet
Jesu. Aeldra contemplated her expression, then began to grin as well. “That good, huh?”
Seonaid started to laugh. “Ye wouldna believe it.”

“Judging by the mess yer hair is in, mayhap I would,” she said with amusement, and Seonaid
raised a hand to feel the back of her head, frowning at the rat's nest it had become. She
was confused for a moment, then recalled twisting and thrashing her head back and forth on
the bed and understood.

“You shall need help with that,” Helen murmured, kneeling beside the tub. “Come, I shall
wash your hair. Tip it back.”

Seonaid did as instructed, tipping her head back as Helen picked up a bucket, scooped some
water out of the tub and poured it over her hair, trying to avoid pouring any over her
face. Once she had soaked her hair thoroughly, the woman began to wash it with what was
left of the herbal vinegar from the night before, working her fingers through the knots as
she went.

“Yer getting yer veil wet,” Aeldra warned Helen and Seonaid smiled faintly as the other
woman tsked with irritation. When the work on her hair paused, Seonaid opened her eyes and
turned her head slightly to the side to see Helen removing her headwear to reveal her red
hair pulled back in a knot.

“ 'Tis annoying anyway,” Helen muttered, setting it aside. “ 'Tis hot and bothersome. I
will put it back on afterward.”

Seonaid said nothing. She merely smiled, closed her eyes, and tipped her head back again
for the work on her hair to continue. They were all silent for a moment; then Aeldra said,
“So yer no goin' to get more specific about what happened?”

There was a pause, and Seonaid supposed Aeldra was giving her a chance to speak up if she
so desired, but she held her tongue. There was no way to describe what had happened last
night. She could tell them what he'd done, but until they'd experienced it, neither woman
would understandwhat he'd done.

Heaving an irritated sigh, Aeldra continued, “Then I suppose we might as well figure out
what we're goin' to do next.”

Seonaid smiled softly, her mind immediately going to Blake. She wondered where he was and
when they would next get to

“About Helen's problem,” Aeldra added dryly, apparently reading Seonaid's expression.

She felt ashamed of herself. She had completely forgotten Helen's problem. Good Lord! How
could she forget the threat to the woman's life and the possible threat against her father?

“Seonaid?” Aeldra said when she remained silent for several moments. “Aye,” she murmured,
opening her eyes to assure them she had not fallen asleep. “I was thinkin'.” “What did you
come up with?” Helen asked eagerly.

Seonaid started to give her head a slight shake but stopped right away as Helen began to
pour more of the vinegar and herb mixture over it. “I am no sure what to do. I had decided
yesterday that it might be best to go to Father with the problem.”

“Your father?” Helen sounded unsure.

“Aye.” She blinked her eyes open to stare at the woman. “He could arrange a proper escort,
or send one messenger to yer father and another to the king. Aeldra and I might have been
able to sneak ye down to England and escorted ye to yer father's keep using the passage,
but without it...” She shrugged helplessly. “Yer chances are better with me Father
providin' an escort.”

“Aye,” she admitted reluctantly. “But what if they attack your father's escort?”

Seonaid pursed her lips. “He may think 'tis best to send messengers and keep ye safe here
in Dunbar.”

“Oh, Seonaid.” Helen sighed. “That is what he did for Lady Wildwood, and 'tis what brought
about Greenweld's attack on Dunbar. I would not wish to cause such a thing to happen
again.”

“Well, he may come up with a better idea,” Seonaid said quietly. “Father has lived a long
time and seen much. I think we should let him ken the truth o' the matter at least and
make suggestions. If he doesna come up with something we like, we can always sneak off
again and try on our own.”

“Oh, I do not think that is a good idea at all.”

All three women jerked their heads around to the open door at Lady Wildwood's words.
Iliana's mother stood in the open door, her gaze focused on Helen, an expression of
recognition on her face.

“Forgive me for entering without knocking,” Lady Wildwood murmured, pushing the door
closed. “I was about to when I overheard what you were speaking of.”

She crossed the room, her gaze fixed on the redhead still kneeling by the tub. “Lady Helen
de Bethencourt. I thought you looked familiar when I first laid eyes on you, but the
outfit confused me,” she admitted.

Seonaid glanced toward Helen, who paused before speaking. “Lady Wildwood. I recognized you
as well. You were a friend of my mother's.”

“Aye.” Iliana's mother smiled slightly, then glanced to Seonaid and Aeldra and explained,
“Helen's mother and I were friends of Queen Anne's. We were often at court together.”

“Ah,” Seonaid murmured, then smiled at Helen with amusement. “Ye didna mention ye had
friends in such high places.”

“I do not,” Helen said with a blush. “My mother was a friend of the queen's, but both of
them are gone now.”

“You still have influential friends, my dear,” Lady Wildwood said gently. “The king is as
fond of you as the queen was.” She sighed, her gaze slipping to Seonaid. “You look very
well, my dear. I am glad to see you survived the night.”

“Thanks,” Seonaid murmured.

“Now...” Margaret perched on one of the chairs by the cold fireplace and eyed them all
expectantly. “Why do you not tell me how Helen came to be traveling with you disguised as
a nun? Then we can decide how best to present this to the men.”

Seonaid smiled wryly at the woman. Despite her phrasing, it was not a request but an
order. Lady Wildwood was a woman used to getting her way, and this time was no exception.
Iliana's mother sat patiently listening as the three women took turns explaining what had
occurred since their meeting in the chapel at St. Simmian's. They left nothing out,
revealing every step of the journey. By the time they fell silent, Seonaid had finished
with her bath and donned her clothes. The three women then waited for Lady Wildwood to
comment.

She said nothing for the longest time, but sat, her face pensive. She was obviously deep
in thought. Then she nodded to herself and stood. “Come along, then.”

“What're ye goin' to do?” Seonaid asked as she followed her to the door.

“I shall take care of everything,” she said simply as she opened the door, then paused to
smile at Seonaid and reached up to brush a strand of black hair off her face in a gesture
that smacked of affection. “You have had it very hard not having a mother, haven't you?
Both of you have.”

She had included Aeldra in her glance, and Seonaid's cousin opened her mouth as if to
protest, then closed it again. Seonaid supposed Giorsal had not been much of a maternal
replacement with her bitterness and anger. Of course, she didn't know why she herself had
not protested that life had been hard without a mother. She was happy with the way things
had turned out, was she not? She had not missed anything. In fact, Seonaid had more
freedom than most women were given. And if she had watched other girls receiving hugs and
affection from their mothers, and seen the way they were coddled and cared for and felt a
pang, surely it was not envy.